From Mine to Store: Wendy Yue's Brush With Nature

By Melissa Rose Bernardo - July 13, 2011

The telltale sign of a Wendy Yue cocktail ring? The fabulously rendered, almost-overwhelming presence of flora or fauna. Yue’s pieces always seem on the verge of coming to life: Green garnet stems curl down from a cherry blossom; a pink sapphire scorpion crawls across a coral rose; blooms, branches, and vines tangle together in a gem-filled garden. In this frog ring, which retails for $12,500, Yue again features a creature. The pearl, however, is new territory for the Hong Kong–based designer, who’s perhaps best known for her creative use of carved stones such as coral, jade, and agate. “It’s a gem that we should bring back in fashion,” she says. “There are so many different forms of this gem—the possibilities are limitless. It’s nothing like your grandmother’s pearls!”

Amphibian Inspiration

Yue has featured frogs in previous pieces: “Much like the butterfly, the frog’s metamorphosis inspires us in life—and inspires us to have patience while undergoing life’s transitions.” Presumably she means the process by which the creature changes from a tadpole into an adult…though there’s also the fairy-tale frog-to-prince transformation. We can get behind that, too.

Pearl Wonder

This gleaming gem measures a generous 17 mm. As for its distinctive hue: “It is very rare to find this green color in South Sea pearls,” declares Yue. The designer set the ring in rhodium-plated 18k white gold—which complements the pearl’s almost-black shade.

Dissecting the Frog

“Frogs are meant to bring good fortunes,” explains Yue. The ring wearer should be prepared for a windfall—there are six of the auspicious amphibians adorning the jewel. Each incorporates one center tourmaline, pavé tsavorite, and brown diamonds (for the eyes).